Cutter-bar.



No. 644,076. PatentedFeb. 27, I900 w. H. mm.

CUTTER BAR.

(Application filed July 3, 1899.)

Q (In m ni.) 4

STATES CUTTER-BAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 644,076, dated February27', 1900.

Application filed July 3, 1899. Serial No. 722,718. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM HENRY HODGES, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Union Star, in the county of De Kalb and State ofMissouri, have invented a new and useful Cutter-Bar, of which thefollowing is a specification.

Myinvention relates to the general class of mowing and reaping machines,butmore particularly to the cutting apparatus thereof; and its object isto provide an improved means for attaching the knives or cutter-bladesto the cutter-bar and removing the same in case they become broken andreplacing the same by new ones while the machine is in use, replacingthem Without the use of tools or the need of skilled workmen.

My invention consists in certain details of construction hereinafterdescribed, and particularly pointed out in the claim.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is aperspective view of a cutterbar constructed in accordance with myinvention, showing one of the blades removed. Fig. 2 is a detailperspective view of the cutter-bar, and Fig. 3 is a detail perspectiveview of one of the cutter-blades. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section ofFig. 1.

Referring to the drawings by reference numerals, 4 indicates thecutter-bar proper, provided at predetermined intervals with a series ofraised portions 5, substantially crossshaped in plan, forming recessesor sockets 6, the bar 4. having a pin 7 integral therewith a slightdistance from the transverse center thereof.

8 is the cutting-blade, provided with the two perforations 9 and 10 nearthe'rear portion of the shank. It will be noticed that the cutting-bladeis provided with the outwardly-projecting lugs 11 and 12, extending fromeach side of the rear edge of the shank, which are designed to snuglyengage the angles 13 of the raised portions 5, which prevents atransverse displacement of cutterblade from the rear, while a similardisplacement from the opposite direction is prevented by the shoulders14 and 15, abutting against the walls of the angles 16 and 17 "of theraised portion or block 5. To insure rigidity and steadiness to eachindividual blade, a cut-out portion 18 is provided therein, which isengaged by the longitudinallyprojecting tongues of the block 5, and theblade further engages the pin 7 by means of the perforations 10.

The securing bars or levers 19 are pivoted to the upwardly-projectingpins 20, arranged centrally of the blocks 5, and each carry ongagingpins 21, which register with and are held in the recesses 9, whereby thebar is locked in a position covering the blade, which will prevent anupward displacement thereof. It will be noticed that each pivoted bar orlever projects a sufficient distance beyond the pivot-point to overlapthe adjacent blade, thus making it necessary, as shown in Fig. 1, toswing out two of these levers before one of the blades can be removed.This can readily be accomplished by simply raising the free end of thelever until the lug carried thereby is withdrawn from engagement withthe recess 9 and then swinging the lever on itspivot until it reachesthe position shown in Fig. 1.

It will be noticed that the end of the cutterbar has a return-lug orengaging portion 22 for securing the most distant blade in positioninstead of the overlapping ends of the levers, as in the remainingblades, and that the most distant lever is provided with a shoulder forengagement therewith. WVith this exception each blade and lever is acounterpart of the other.

From the foregoing it will readily be seen that I have invented acutting apparatus whereby the blades can be removed almost instantly forthe insertion of a new blade and without danger of sacrificing therigidity of the blades with relation to the cutter-bar.

While I have described what to me appears to be the best means foraccomplishing the result it is desired to attain, I do not wish to beunderstood as in any way departing from the spirit of my inventionshould I find it convenient to make such slight changes or 5 alterationsas would properly come within the scope thereof.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

carrying lugs for engagement with the openings in the shanks of thecutting-blades, substantially as described.

WILLIAM HENRY HODGES.

The combination with the cutter-bar, of the cross-shaped blocks arrangedat intervals thereon, and a projecting pin adjacent to each block, thecutting-blades having their 5 shanks recessed to fit the blocks andprovided Witnesses:

with openings to engage the pins, additional openings in said shanks,and pivoted levers JOHN MoMoRRAN, A. O. YARNER.

